EXPANSION AND SYMBIOSIS – A Major Celto-Scythian Settlement and Burial Complex from the Mátra Mountains in north-eastern Hungary

EXPANSION AND SYMBIOSIS – A Major Celto-Scythian Settlement and Burial Complex from the Mátra Mountains in north-eastern Hungary

Discovered in the foothills of the Mátra Mountains in northeastern Hungary in 2015-2016, the bi-ritual burial complex at Gyöngyös is one of the largest and most important Iron Age sites in the region and has provided fascinating new information on Celtic (and Scythian) settlement in this part of Europe.

The burial site has yielded 154 burials fromthe La Tène period, andhas parallels in other Celtic complexes in northern Hungary such as those at Mátraszolos, Sajópetri or Ludas, the latter being situated a few kilometers west of Gyöngyös (Szabó, Tankó 2006, 2012). Previous research at the site in 2003 had uncovered evidence of a Celtic settlement, dating to the same period (late 4th – early 2nd c. BC), close to the burial complex.

Notable among the inhumation burials at the site is grave #113, in which the skeleton of a young girl wasdiscoveredwith a rich set of jewellery. A three-row bronze necklace, two amber ring-beadsand many glass beads decorated her neck; a bronze bracelet was found on her rightforearm, while a saprolite ring was on her left forearm. The young lady also wore a silver finger-ringon her left hand, an iron belt on her waist, as well as a pair of anklets made ofbronze (hohlbuckelringe). A particularly interesting artefact was found beside the skeleton: a spherical clay rattle.

Gyöngyös – Inhumation Burial #113

(after Tanko et al 2016)

At Gyöngyös, material recovered from both the inhumation and cremation burials attest to a thriving and wealthy community. Bronzebracelets, anklets, glass or saprolite jewellery, finger-rings, various iron and bronze fibulae, bronze torques and small chain-necklaces with amber ring-beads came to lightfrom the female burials; in male graves –jewelry, ironswords / scabbards with suspension chain-belts, spearheads and shield umbos. Based on traces of burning, it has been established that the deceased were crematedwearing full costume as well as jewellery or other items of clothing (loc cit.).

Gyöngyös– Cremation/Warrior Burial #128

Based on the available data, the necropolis unearthed at Gyöngyös was established at the end of the 4th century BC,was mainly used in the 3rd century BC, and abandoned at the beginning of 2nd century BC.

A further interesting feature of the site is the fact that archaeological material from the settlement and burial complex, particularly pottery, represent both Celtic and Scythian traditions. In some cases the burials can be connectedto the population of the Vekerzug Culture (or Alföld Group) featuring Scythiancharacteristics. This phenomenon has been observed at other sites in the area, such as that at Sajópetri–Hosszú-dulo, where excavations have established that a significant population of Scythian originlived beside the Celts during the La Tène period (Szabó et al 1997, Szabó 2007), and Gyöngyös provides further evidence of a symbiotic relationship between, and fusion of, the two cultures in the aftermath of the Celtic expansion/migration into the region.

Documentation of Cremation Burial #155 at Gyöngyös, using 3D photogrammetry